Home
Back
Gravitational Acceleration Formula:
| From: | To: |
Gravitational acceleration (g) is the acceleration experienced by an object due to the gravitational force of a massive body. It represents the rate at which an object's velocity changes when falling freely under gravity's influence.
The calculator uses the gravitational acceleration formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula calculates the acceleration due to gravity at a specific distance from a massive object's center, following Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Details: Calculating gravitational acceleration is essential for space missions, satellite orbit planning, understanding planetary physics, and various engineering applications where gravity plays a crucial role.
Tips: Enter the gravitational constant (default is Earth's value), mass of the celestial body in kilograms, and distance from the center in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What is the gravitational acceleration on Earth's surface?
A: Approximately 9.8 m/s², though it varies slightly with latitude and altitude.
Q2: How does gravitational acceleration change with altitude?
A: Gravitational acceleration decreases with the square of the distance from the center of mass (inverse square law).
Q3: What is the gravitational constant value?
A: G = 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³/kg s², a fundamental physical constant.
Q4: Can this formula be used for any celestial body?
A: Yes, it works for any spherical body with known mass and radius, including planets, moons, and stars.
Q5: Why is gravitational acceleration important in space missions?
A: It determines orbital velocities, escape velocities, and trajectory calculations for spacecraft and satellites.